Hello, dear friends!

Welcome to the Masters of the Caribbean role playing boards. We have a few rules that, if followed, will improve role playing and keep the place running smoothly. These rules might come off as a little high handed, but they have been formulated by experience.

These rules will be adjusted as I learn more about what works. My goal is to create a place where everyone can tell their tales and have fun.

GENERAL

1. No sexually graphic posts.

2. Do not kill or hurt someone else's character without their permission.

3. No Power playing! Power playing is when you write that another person's character does something. You can not in any way, shape, or form dictate the actions of another character. For instance, you can't have Easton call Mowett a prat. Some posts seem like power playing...Gabrielle and Mowett often act in the same posts because they are both played by the same person, so it makes sense to do things this way. But if you do not own the account the character belongs to, you are not allowed to do this.

4. No strong profanity. Avoid cursing when possible...we are all gentlefolk, here, but if you have to, nothing beyond hell or damn. I mean, Aubrey's not going to say, "Oh, Drat! The Acheron just took out our mast!" is he? But I ask you to act within reason.

5. Respect other people's stories. Do not hijack someone's play. We all add to and morph stories, but if it's a major change, ask the person who started the thread first.

6. NO objectionable pictures, graphic depictions, and the like. Some of our members are still in their teens, and I do not wish their parents to think us a bad influence. *smiles*

7. Format for story posts should be prose like. Use quotes for speech, and do not use * * (as in above) unless it is in one of the non in-costume sections.

POSTING

8. Read the Muse Post and the whole thread before jumping in! In the Muse section, full descriptions of each play are posted, along with the rules of that story. You must follow the rules...posts that do not will be deleted without warning.

9. Read the whole thread, or play, before posting.

10. All posts must be at least 4 sentences/lines long, (and just hitting enter to make it look longer does not count!) and answer yes to the following questions:

~ Does my post forward the story?

~ Is the spelling and grammar correct? Is it free of anachronisms?

~ Do I leave room to allow the next person to act? Do I ask a question? Encourage an action?

If you can't answer these questions positively, consider how to rewrite the post so you can. Doing these things is essential for us to make this board a great place to tell stories. If you absolutely can not stick to one of these rules for some reason, that's fine. Just don't do it too often. Sometimes a quickie post is needed to kick things in gear.

Also, always try and keep with the tone...think of the era, the time, and think what your character would really do, if he or she was alive at that time. Sometimes I feel like I've been losing the tone, and when I do that I read a little O'Brian or Austin, or watch Master and Commander or Persuasion...things like that can give you a quick handle, painlessly. *grins*


CHARACTER CREATION

11. All CANON characters must be used 4 times a month. All Original Characters (OC's) a minimum of [b]1 time a month[/b]. Canon refers to any and all characters that are taken from another fandom. If you find your cannot use your character enough, please give him up for adoption. Adoptions will be application only, no one can just pick up an old character and add it to their pile. I would prefer that new people had a chance at Canon characters, It will attract people to our board and give us new people to interact with. Canon characters not used in a reasonable amount of time will be put up for you.

12. Only characters from: Master and Commander, Hornblower, Jack of All Trades, Pirates of the Caribbean or Sharpes will be currently allowed to play. If you have an idea for a character from another fandom that is from the 1805, Napoleanic era, let me know and I will include it. They must be kept in use. Do not take a character just to keep someone else from getting them...that's not fair.

13. All Characters must have a personal profile under their own name in the Getting to Know Them Section. [i]This way new people can easily reference characters[/i]. If someone wants to know exactly who Gabby Winter is, then there will be an easy place to find out. There will be a pro-forma list of questions to be answered. You may go back through and cut and paste relevant items you'd like added from the other introduction posts, which will be moved to the. You must know your character thoroughly for role playing to be fun for everyone.

14. This said, all characters must have a SOLID reason that is Historically possible to be on the Surprise. People just popping on board the ship adds confusion, and you have to provide a reason why people like William Mowett, Tom Pullings or Jack Aubrey would allow you on their ship...remember, these men, especially in canon, are fairly strict officers who live by the rules of war and the service. You have to convince these characters, and thereby all of us, that you should be here. This sounds harsh...it's not. With thinking and creativity, one can manage anything. This solid reason should be in your profile.

15. Original Characters: These rules are for characters you open an actual account for, you can have as many characters you need to tell your story within your post.

~ Only make a new character if you will use him or her in more than one play, and in some cases not around your main character(s). For example, Captain Pullings and I decided to create an account for Easton because we both knew we'd want to be able to use him to make mischief that Gabby, Mowett or Pullings would not be around to see.



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That said, it is all a game, and so you don't have to be too worried, especially if you're new. Gabrielle and Mowett are more than happy to help you learn the ropes and do whatever it takes to get you started. These rules are really just to help keep down confusion and to help make this place a truly great rpg, a place that you can be proud to be a part of, as well as happy. *grins* Now go and get some tarts from Gabby. You've earned them.